Fury Motors wins, loses sign request

OAK PARK HEIGHTS — Fury Motors won and lost Tuesday night at the City Council meeting.

The council approved the dealership’s request to install signs on the exterior wall advertising additional vehicle brands sold by Fury.
But the council rejected the dealership’s request to install a free-standing 24-foot sign that would be four feet taller than the 20-foot maximum height allowed by city ordinance.

Dan Licht of TPC said Fury owner Jim Leonard applied for an interim use permit for the additional signs at the 60th Street North dealership after Chrysler added brands Fury could sell.

“Originally, the intent was to just sell the Jeep brand at this location,” said City Planner Scott Richards in a memo to City Administrator Eric Johnson. “Chrysler Group has indicated that the dealership shall sell Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles out of this location. As a result, the need to advertise each of the brands is necessary.”

But Richards said in his memo Fury should reconsider its proposed free-standing sign request.

“The applicant should revise the plan to make the sign compliant with the ordinance. Also, in that the sign is a temporary feature, the applicant should consider whether this sign is at all necessary. The Fury label could be placed above the front door of the building,” he writes.

“This may be an issue the council wants to review,” Licht said. He added that the Planning Commission recommended the council approve the wall signs, but deferred a decision on the free-standing sign to the council.

In other action, the council:

Approved two items related to the city’s water supply system — buying chlorine feed equipment for well houses one and two and a warranty inspection on the 500,000-gallon water tower.

Public Works Director Andrew Kegley said the new chlorine feed equipment replaces existing similar equipment that no longer works. He added that adding chlorine to the city water system is not required by the state, having the chemical available is important if the city’s water has multiple positive tests for coliform bacteria.

“It is in the city’s best interest to install operable chlorine feed systems in both well houses as recommended by the city engineer,” Kegley said in a memo to the council.

Kegley recommended the council accept a bid for the equipment of slightly more than $8,660 from Hawkins Chemical. Kegley said this project was added to the city’s 2012 budget, but not completed that year due to time and scheduling issues. The money was carried over to this year’s budget.

Regarding the water tower inspection, Kegley said KLM Engineering plans to use a remote-operated vehicle to inspect the tower that was rehabbed in 2011 before the warranty on that work expires in August.

Kegley said using the ROV allows for a complete inspection without taking the tower out of service. The inspection costs $2,800 and will be paid from the water utility other contracted service funds. The work will be scheduled before August.

The council also, appointed Jim Kremer to the Planning Commission for a three-year term starting in June and expiring in May 2016. Kremer replaces current Planning Commission member Chuck LeRoux when LeRoux’s term ends. Kremer and Guy Sederski were both interviewed Feb. 14 by the Planning Commission. The commission recommended Kremer’s appointment following the interviews.